Automation is revolutionizing more industries in ever increasing numbers. The motion picture industry is no exception. To be able to successfully automate the projection of movies in a theater is very desirable. The invention fulfills this desire by providing an apparatus having continuous loop film projecting capability, the apparatus having such a design so as to decrease the possibilities of damage to projected film. In the invention apparatus, film received on a platter is lifted off the surface of the platter by either pneumatic or mechanical means, the lifting decreasing the tension and the stress on the film thereby reducing the changes of the film breaking or otherwise being damaged.